(SOLD) This is a mid-1950s Sheaffer Snorkel Admiral in Black with a 14k gold, Fine nib. The pen has been restored, which included a complete disassembly, a thorough cleaning, an overhaul of the filling mechanism, ink flow adjustment, nib tuning, and a gentle polish with a soft cloth. I work according to current "best practices" in pen restoration and I use only the highest-quality replacement materials.

Sheaffer Snorkel Admiral, Black, F, uncapped

I am often asked to recommend a Sheaffer Snorkel to a vintage pen noive. In my opinion, if you're going to own just one vintage pen, it would have to be either a Parker 51 or a Sheaffer Snorkel. The pens are rather different in their design and feel, so one might work better for you than the other.

The Admiral is an excellent choice for a beginner due to its conventional "open" nib. The wrap-around Triumph nib (found on other Snorkel models) is not to everyone's liking due to its unusual shape. The Admiral's gold nib, however, will feel familiar to most of you. And what a nib this is! Sold as a Fine (you can still see the designation printed on the top of the nib "F2"), but I'd rank it closer to a modern XF, it writes a beautifully smooth line of about 0.3 mm, it is confident, always ready, never hesitating, skipping, or starving for ink. It even has a nice bit of spring to it. A phenomenal writer for those of you who write in cursive or want to learn business cursive of Michael Sull's American Cursive Handwriting. I could not think of a better 1950s pen for this purpose.

Cosmetically, the pen looks as good as new. There are virtually no signs of use, just very, very faint wear here and there, but it's not noticeable with the naked eye. The Black material is deep in color, rich, and vibrant. The chrome-plated and gold-filled parts are equally beautiful. This pen would make an awesome gift for a family member or a friend. If so, let me know and I will include a nice gift box with the pen.